diff --git a/api/api.go b/api/api.go
index f291ad78e7..7d7e1061d3 100644
--- a/api/api.go
+++ b/api/api.go
@@ -348,9 +348,11 @@ func NewClient(config *Config) (*Client, error) {
 
 	parts := strings.SplitN(config.Address, "://", 2)
 	if len(parts) == 2 {
-		if parts[0] == "https" {
+		switch parts[0] {
+		case "http":
+		case "https":
 			config.Scheme = "https"
-		} else if parts[0] == "unix" {
+		case "unix":
 			trans := cleanhttp.DefaultTransport()
 			trans.Dial = func(_, _ string) (net.Conn, error) {
 				return net.Dial("unix", parts[1])
@@ -358,6 +360,8 @@ func NewClient(config *Config) (*Client, error) {
 			config.HttpClient = &http.Client{
 				Transport: trans,
 			}
+		default:
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("Unknown protocol scheme: %s", parts[0])
 		}
 		config.Address = parts[1]
 	}
diff --git a/command/agent/command.go b/command/agent/command.go
index 8f9a8712f6..921aea2fc9 100644
--- a/command/agent/command.go
+++ b/command/agent/command.go
@@ -1086,8 +1086,11 @@ func (c *Command) Run(args []string) int {
 	var err error
 	if config.Ports.HTTP != -1 {
 		httpAddr, err = config.ClientListener(config.Addresses.HTTP, config.Ports.HTTP)
-	} else {
+	} else if config.Ports.HTTPS != -1 {
 		httpAddr, err = config.ClientListener(config.Addresses.HTTPS, config.Ports.HTTPS)
+	} else if len(config.WatchPlans) > 0 {
+		c.Ui.Error("Error: cannot use watches if both HTTP and HTTPS are disabled")
+		return 1
 	}
 	if err != nil {
 		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to determine HTTP address: %v", err))
diff --git a/website/source/docs/commands/_http_api_options_client.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/commands/_http_api_options_client.html.markdown
index ccdf5176b7..8e5f443eb1 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/commands/_http_api_options_client.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/commands/_http_api_options_client.html.markdown
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 * `-http-addr=<addr>` - Address of the Consul agent with the port. This can be
   an IP address or DNS address, but it must include the port. This can also be
-  specified via the `CONSUL_HTTP_ADDR` environment variable. The default value is
-  127.0.0.1:8500.
+  specified via the `CONSUL_HTTP_ADDR` environment variable. In Consul 0.8 and
+  later, the default value is http://127.0.0.1:8500, and https can optionally
+  be used instead. The scheme can also be set to HTTPS by setting the
+  environment variable `CONSUL_HTTP_SSL=true`.
 
 * `-token=<value>` - ACL token to use in the request. This can also be specified
   via the `CONSUL_HTTP_TOKEN` environment variable. If unspecified, the query